Inauguration Security: Washington Prepared for Anything

Inauguration Security: Washington Prepared for Anything

Law enforcement officials in Washington D.C. are ready for any and all threats on Saturday, January 21 when Donald Trump will be sworn in as President of the United States.

The security for the Inauguration will be intense, as 28,000 members of U.S. law enforcement deploy countermeasures to prevent large truck attacks, lone wolf attacks, anti-organization disruptions and more creating a security stronghold made of roadblocks, armored vehicles, and police.

Three thousand police officers from across the nation are expected to show up for duty on the day before the big event and an additional 5,000 members of the National Guard will be deployed. The numbers are roughly the same as those asked to secure the event in years past.

An estimated 700,000 to 900,000 people are expected to be in Washington D.C. to watch Trump become President with 63 demonstration groups, pro and con, expected to arrive as well.

Directory of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy believes that they will have to be prepared for just about anything because people are “more willing to do things they may not have been willing to do in the past.”

For example, bike racks or metal barriers used to act as an invisible shield to keep people out of security zones, but as we saw several times during the presidential campaigns and recent riots in U.S. cities, citizens are no longer put off by metal barricades. It takes no thought at all for people to jump over them or use a vehicle to plow through them.

For the Inauguration, Clancy says there will be a perimeter around the event site with hard and soft portions to let in official vehicles. The perimeter will be built using trucks, dumpsters, buses and similar objects and will be off limits to non-official vehicles. The soft openings will be heavily manned by law enforcement and only authorized vehicles will be allowed to pass through.

The Secret Service has not received any credible threats towards the Inauguration, but they are beefing up security to defend against common threats they’ve seen in the world recently, such as vehicle attacks. The Secret Service believes the perimeter around the event area will help to dissuade someone from using a vehicle in an attack.

Clancy said the kind of threat they are expecting the most is disruptions from an anti-government/anarchist groups. He believes they may be planning to run onto the stage, or create an auditory disruption during the proceedings and are not afraid of using violence to do so. Police, FBI agents and Secret Service will be posted around the event area to ensure a disruption does not occur.

Security measures have also been taken against anyone wanting to fly a drone around the site of the Inauguration. The District and surrounding areas are designated “no drone zones.” The Secret Service warns that No Drone Zone violators could face a fine up to $1,414 for individuals and $32,140 for companies. They will also have all of their equipment confiscated.

According to the United States Capitol Police, the open carrying of firearms is prohibited in the District of Columbia, and to carry a concealed firearm you must have a D.C. issued concealed carry permit and be in compliance with applicable requirements, restrictions and prohibitions under the law. Even with a valid District of Columbia issued permit, a permit holder is still prohibited from carrying in certain designated areas, to include, but not limited to, demonstrations, federal buildings, the National Mall, the White House complex, the U.S. Capitol Grounds, and gatherings or special events open to the public including the Presidential Inauguration.

In addition to physical security, the Secret Service is also looking into cybersecurity for the event. Clancy told a congressional oversight committee on March 17, 2016 that “the lines of cybersecurity are increasingly blurred,” requiring the Secret Service to train for possible cyber attacks on high profile events. Cyber teams have been scouring the web for threats as well as working to create secure networks for the teams to communicate through during the event.

The security for the Presidential Inauguration has been planned by several teams for many months, having thought through any and all possible areas for concern. Clancy says his team is ready for anything.

 

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.